Posted by Older & In Shape
a resident of another community
on Sep 3, 2009 at 2:42 pm

The cry of "Nothing for kids to do" is as old as time. What the heck happened to babies playing with spoons and measuring cups ? To Teens reading a good book, of playing kick the can, of walking, or running errands for the elderly. Come on Mom and Dad, get off the couch and explore life WITH your kids.. Give them imagination.. There is more to life than thousand dollar video games and million dollar (YES MILLION DOLLAR) BMX parks.. Look at S.Jose's Calabaza Bike Park.. close to a million to build and huge annual upkeep costs. Hey kids, try the library, a lunch pail and a hike to a park.

Posted by No child left INSIDE
a resident of Old Mountain View
on Sep 3, 2009 at 4:17 pm

Our community has done so many things right and it is a source of great pride. This ad hoc destruction of the participant constructed BMX park is a big --SHAME ON YOU! I'm a frequent user of our wonderful Stevens Creek Trail and my heart was sick when I saw that the BMX park had been bulldozed. Some of my best childhood memories are of constructing and building structures in nature. If you need users to sign a waiver, hey, I'll spend a couple of hours out there and have them sign a waiver. The skatepark at Rengstorff is probably a more liability prone place.

Responding to Older & in Shape: "To Teens reading a good book, of playing kick the can, of walking, or running errands for the elderly." These are all admirable activities, and I hope teens spend some time doing these. But really now...do you think a teenager is going to find these activities as challenging and exciting as BMX? It is a(healthy) need of teens for something that is exciting, maybe a even a little dangerous. The biggest reason bike parks cost a $million to build and have huge annual upkeep costs is...prevalence of liability litigation. The kids themselves were quite happy with "Creek Trails" that they built themselves. It's a shame that our society is almost compelled to eliminate them because of risk of litigation.

Posted by Supporting Mr. Martello
a resident of Old Mountain View
on Sep 4, 2009 at 12:00 am

You wrote that it "was an unhappy event for all parties concerned". Not true! I don't need my taxes to go up when a kid inevitably got hurt there and sued the city. I also didn't need people lining up to have their go on the humps and blocking my use of the Stevens Creek trail. So provably it was not unhappy for everyone.

Bravo for destroying the bmx course - it's never too early for kids to learn that hard work will be taken at a moments notice by lawyers and politicians. They should be focusing on how to learn to play the system and get money for nothing; not trying to actually build something. Get back in your houses and in front of the TV - god forbid you hold up someone more important trying to get by on the Stevens Creek trail.

I'm wondering if the city has looked into requiring the BMXers to purchase a license or permit for their bikes, or perhaps an anti-liability insurance. It may be a great way to raise some revenue as would a pay to ride or use fee for those using the site if it is created again. I would also like to see people who use the Stevens Creek trail be charged a fee or carry liability insurance and pay-to=play card. The same for use of parks for children. We could charge users or require they purchase a use pass that be presented upon questioning by the authorities. We could make the purchase of these cards mandatory and subject residents to fines if they don't purchase and use them, similar to the plan for national health insurance. We could set up offices similar to the DMV to manage the system. Wouldn't it just be great? Who's with me on this?

Posted by john botelho
a resident of Martens-Carmelita
on Sep 4, 2009 at 2:41 pm

Please ask Mike Fuller of MV Public Works to include a new BMX area in the next reach of the Stevens Creek Trail. As far as I know, the design hasn't really started, so this is the perfect time to study it. Keep it far enough away from the trail and creek and everyone will be happy (except the lawyers...)

Steve - I think you're headed in the wrong direction. First, we (at least I, having purchased two years ago), pay very high property taxes in Mountain View and what you are proposing is simply another use tax. Second, while I'm not an attorney, but I believe that by charging for use of a BMX course, the city is clearly assuming liability for any accidents. I realize everyone is terrified of lawsuits and that is an across the boards US problem, but there must be some way for the city to allow BMX riders to bike where they have for years without being liable. People die every year in Yosemite and no one sues the state for allowing rock climbing - how does that work? Seems as though allowing people to bolt routes is essentially the same as allowing kids to build a BMX course - either could be classified as "an attractive nuisance".

Posted by resident
a resident of North Whisman
on Sep 7, 2009 at 8:26 pm

Do you know how much more freedom everyone in the country would be (particularly children) if society wasn't so litigative? If everyone took responsibility for their own actions, the BMX park would probably still be there.

devils was and will forever be an amazing place to have fun a chill with friends. but who says it has to end. this october the rebuilding ans using of devils will start by a group of crittenden students !!!! its not over yet.

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